Healthcare providers (e.g., physicians, nurses, therapists, certified wound care specialists, certified wound care nurses, etc.) use an international classification system to classify and code symptoms and diagnoses of decubitus ulcers (also referred to as “pressure ulcers,” “bedsores,” “pressure sores,” etc.). The pressure ulcer classification system and treatment guidelines comprise six classifications maintained by the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (e.g., “NPUAP”) and the European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (e.g., “EPUAP”). The classifications, which may be referred to as “stages”, “grades”, or “categories” depending on the geographic area in which a healthcare provider practices, indicate the severity of the pressure ulcer and may also dictate what treatment is needed, what type(s) of medical equipment the patient is eligible for, as well as, the final medical diagnosis code (which determines the payment given to the healthcare provider). Therefore, diagnosing/classifying pressure ulcers incorrectly may lead to inappropriate medical treatment, improper insurance payments, a misuse of medical resources, and it may negatively affect overall clinical, financial, and legal outcomes.
Classifying pressure ulcers to determine the correct diagnosis and medical diagnosis code (also referred to as “staging,” “grading,” or “categorizing”) is extremely complicated as it requires such extensive clinical knowledge that even experts trained in wound care do not stage pressure ulcers accurately all of the time. To stage a pressure ulcer, a healthcare provider physically assesses a wound and periwound to determine whether the ulcer satisfies the defined standards of a particular stage of pressure ulcer, according to the classifications, as well as consulting the patient's medical record to obtain necessary information from the patient's chart and/or from their previous healthcare provider(s). Despite many grants offered and multiple medical community requests, the healthcare community has not yet developed effective tools to assist providers with classifying pressure ulcers. No tools currently exist that accurately classify pressure ulcers and prevent mistakes commonly made, such as reverse staging (e.g., reducing the severity of the classification of a pressure ulcer that cannot be reduced).
Therefore, there is a long-felt but unresolved need for a system or method that assists with accurate and efficient diagnosis, assessment, staging, and treatment of pressure ulcers.